


I Wish I Was

by akuli



Series: The “Everyone’s Herobrine” AU [3]
Category: Video Blogging RPF
Genre: Mild Hurt/Comfort, Worldbuilding, they are friends your honor
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-31
Updated: 2021-01-31
Packaged: 2021-03-15 13:42:54
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,690
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28939437
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/akuli/pseuds/akuli
Summary: Sky leans back against the flat expanse of the void and prays to the Gods that he hasn’t gotten himself in over his head.
Relationships: No Romantic Relationship(s)
Series: The “Everyone’s Herobrine” AU [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2098080
Kudos: 6





	I Wish I Was

**Author's Note:**

> this is another one where, in places, I know I could’ve done better, but just decided to finish and post before I ended up completely scrapping it. this actually includes our focus on dan; we’re moving on to deo and the third, mystery ‘brine! I wanted to have Sky and Jess in this series, however, given how happy their friendship makes me and that Jess’s MCD series was my childhood. enough of me rambling, hope you guys enjoy :]

Sky gets the call on what’s as close to a day off as he’ll allow himself, idly hovering in the space between the realms he’s been granted, ensuring the security measures he’s put in place remain intact. The communicator secured to his belt doesn’t make much noise, but vibrates enough for him to stop his work and lift it up, letting it hover in the void beside him.

“ _Pat_?” He says, because, nobody else knows how to use these things besides the person who gave it to him.

“ Sky, hi,” Pat’s voice is unusually monotone. He’s not nearly as expressive as Jen these days, but Sky’s fairly sure the emotion in his voice is that of exhaustion, something they both have an issue with, letting themself have a _life_ outside of work,” it’s been a while.”

“ It has,” He says, because he doesn’t know what else to say, “ what’s up, man?”

“ Dan’s Herobrine?”

“ … what?” Sky replies, incredulously because that’s certainly not what he was expecting from this impromptu check-in.

“ He’s got the eyes,” Sky, frankly, doesn’t think that’s a good deciding factor, but the desperation, the sudden nature of someone who’s not quite a friend, but not quite a stranger reaching out stops him from voicing his contradictory thoughts, “ we don’t know much outside of that, because he spawned in pretty banged-up, and Jen was more concerned with keeping him alive than getting some answers.”

“ When do you need me?” He says, disregarding the chorus that rises up to give him reasons as to not assist Pat.

“ Preferably, as soon as you’re available.”

“ Okay,” He replies, uncertainty growing in his chest, so he rushes through his words,“ I’ll call you once I’m at the threshold.”

Pat hangs up. Sky leans back against the flat expanse of the void and prays to the Gods that he hasn’t gotten himself in over his head.

* * *

Sky was there before Phoenix Drop was Jess’s, before she was the lord of this town. It’s come so far since then, rebuilt after the first battle of the Gods of this world. The dragons are new, gliding with ease above the treeline, as fleeting as light breaking through the leaves. She’s made herself quite the life here, and he fully believes she, of all people, deserves it.

“ Sky?”

She’s wearing armor nowadays, silver resting on her shoulders, made lighter than her hair that lays against her chest, and there’s a sword fastened to her hip. Herr companions have drawn their weapons, and while Sky doesn’t blame them, (he’s never properly met any of these people, although he thinks he recognizes one or two of the guards, specifically the blonde one that Jess never shuts up about) he finds it a bit funny, the prospect of them attempting to fight him for her. 

“ M’Lady,” He offers her one of his hands as he moves to kneel, all drama, and when he rises again, she’s grinning.

“ Aphmau?” The blonde knight is rocking back and forth on his feet, seemingly debating if he should challenge this stranger for his lady, “ who’s this?”

“ An old friend,” He’s never going to get over the way she talks about him, about all of them, as if they are brilliance personified, “ I’ll be alright, Garroth. Finish up the patrol without me, okay?”

All of the knights have moved on but the blonde one, Garroth, and one with light brown hair who’s hard to look at, who eyes him with suspicion as well. Jess doesn't budge in her judgement, though, and so finally, the blonde guard sheaths his sword, and gives Sky a once-over, “ If you lay a finger on her,” He declares, and Sky tries not to laugh at how young he sounds,“ you’re going to regret it.”

Sky doesn’t say anything in response, letting the way he eyes Garroth’s chainmail that lays over the iron armor he wears speak for him,“ I’m sure I will,” and then, just because he can, “ run along now.”

Garroth sputters, and his face goes the color of tulips. He turns away quickly, and Jess watches him go, amusement clear in the way her mouth twitches as she attempts to hold back a smile. Once the two have turned the corner of the wall that lines the border of Phoenix Drop, she turns to him, “ Was that _really_ necessary?”

“ Probably not,” When Sky grins, it’s all mischief, a life of games and friends and giving joy to the realms, Gods know they need it, “ but you know I like to have fun. I did actually come for a reason, though.”

“ Is it something that can be discussed quickly?” Her tone doesn’t necessarily lose it’s teasing, but her fingers drum against the hilt of the sword strapped to her hip absently, “ As much as I love you, I have a town to run.”

“ She becomes a lord and is suddenly too good for all her friends, huh?” At Jess’s look, Sky is quick to reassure her, “ no, it’s actually fine, Jessy. I won’t be long, but you know more about these things than me.”

“ What things?”

“ One of my acquaintances contacted me yesterday,” He feels bad, reducing Pat’s importance, but the truth is their relationship is mostly based upon work, as willing as Sky is to do him this favor, “ apparently one of his friends has... become Herobrine. Neither of us know _how_ ,” He’s been trying _not_ to think about it, not only because of how baffling it is as a concept, but knowing, in every version, that Brian’s case is nothing short of a curse… he doesn’t want to entertain his more intrusive thoughts of what Dan could be going through, “ I thought maybe you’d have a better idea, given your whole,” He stops himself, because he knows, despite her presentation, that Jess is sensitive about the topic of her connection to this branch of the Gods of the realms, “ situation.”

(He doesn’t witness the first battle Aphmau participates in firsthand, but he sees it on Jess’s face weeks later, in Ross grabbing her shoulders and the way she reflexively goes for where a sheath would be, in the dark circles under her eyes, in the dips and jagged lines on her skin, worn as a reminder, even when she’s not in her own realm. He worries for her, but it’s not his place.) 

“ Ah,” She looks away from him, and while her smile is not completely gone, it’s certainly not as bright as it was before, “ I’m going to be honest, Sky. I don’t think I’m the right person for this. However,” Jess is quick to reassure, and Sky wonders if his momentary panic was visible, “ I’m happy to elaborate on my experience. I’m also going to refer you to a friend of mine,” the lapse of silence that follows her statement is broken when Jess whistles, and Sky nearly jumps out of his skin as a dragon crashes through the curtain of leaves. His eyes don’t leave the creature, who blinks at him, tilting its head curiously before trotting over to Jess, who lays a hand on its scaled head, “ whose had a bit more experience than even me in this department.”

“ Anything helps,” He somehow manages to force out as Jess retrieves paper from her inventory, as well as a stray feather, and dips it into a sack of ink, beginning to scribble, using the dragon as a makeshift desk, seeing as it’s laid its head on her lap, “ thank you, Jess.”

“ You’re my friend,” She looks up from her work at him for a moment, and Sky curses the Gods above that words always seem to escape him when he needs them the most, “ you don’t need to thank me for these kinds of things.”

When she’s presumably sent the dragon on it’s way (or, at least, that’s what it looked like when Jess offered thepaper, folded into a square, to the beast) she takes a breath, and begins, “ I don’t know much about what I am, actually,” she laughs, but she tugs at the part of her gloves that rest below her thumb, a nervous habit of pushing and pulling her persona of the protector, always strong, never allowing herself to relax, even for a moment, especially in this realm, “ I know that I’m what you would call a reincarnation, that of Lady Irene, specifically,” after Jess says the goddess's name, she pauses, for a moment, before continuing, “ there are many gods that span across the realms, and in mine, I am her, reborn. My head knight, who you just met, Garroth,” the blonde one, because the brown-haired figure didn’t looked God-touched, although Sky’s pretty sure he still felt an air of the supernatural around him, “ we believe to be Esmund’s descendant, and my former fiancé,” Jess’s breath catches, seemingly involuntarily from the way she clears her throat, “ we believe to be Shad, who was Lady Irene’s original lover. None but me and Garroth are confirmed yet, but we are proof of what your friend’s theory is, I think,” She looks up, meeting his eyes, and Sky tries his best not to look as he feels, “ that these divine forces can pass on their powers to descendants. In your case, that is something you will have to figure out exactly how it works, but,” Jess brushes some of the hair that’s fallen in her face away from her eyes, so that she can meet Sky’s gaze, “ if there’s anyone I believe who can do it, it’s you, Sky.”

“ Thanks, Jess,” Sky has to look away, because the way she’s looking at him alone is making the embarrassment he feels visible on his face, “ you put… a lot of faith in me, for me having no clue what I’m doing, really.”

“ You’re very clever, Sky,” Jess reaches over, slowly, making sure he can see her every move before taking his hand, and squeezing it, “ more so than you think. It’s something I’ve always admired about you. I believe in you, okay?”

“ Okay,” He repeats, “ who’s, uh, your friend, for when I visit him?”

“ Jordan,” Jess replies with a knowing smile, “ his name is Jordan.”

**Author's Note:**

> title taken from the Avett Brothers song! also, if you’re from the discord /waves/


End file.
